Indians Prospect Insider

Just a quick mid-day update. No news....just a quick update on the site.
As I have alluded to over the last week, tonight I head out for a two week trip that is part vacation and part baseball related. During this time, I may be slow to respond to e-mails and comments here on the site, especially for the next 24-36 hours while I make my way down to Florida. But, as always, I will respond...

K-Tribe blanked by Nationals
De La Cruz to make Kinston debut Wednesday at noon
RHP Hector Rondon will not want to see the Potomac Nationals again this season. Rondon was roughed up for 6 runs on 7 hits in 5 innings of work to fall to 8-5 on the season as the Kinston Indians were shut-out 8-0 in Woodbridge, Virginia on Tuesday night. Rondon has now taken 3 of his 5 losses at the hands...

It has been a big year for Indians top pitching prospect left-hander David Huff.
Coming into the season Huff only pitched a total of 67.1 innings the last year and a half since he signed and was drafted as a supplemental first round pick by the Indians in the 2006 Draft out of UCLA. While he certainly was one of the Indians top pitching prospects coming into this season, there were some question...

Potomac Comes Back on Kinston
Niuman Romero extended his hit streak to 21 games, but Kinston dropped game one of a three game series to Potomac 7-4 Monday night in Virginia. Romero went 2-for-4, getting a hit in his first at bat, in his first action back from a three game suspension.
Kinston got on the board in the first inning when Johnny Drennen led the game off with a double and...

Some callups to announce....
LHP Kelvin De La Cruz has been promoted to Kinston. No word yet on who will be replacing De La Cruz on the roster and in the Lake County rotation, but a good possibility could be RHP Paolo Espino moving back to a starter and someone from Mahoning Valley moving up into the bullpen (Rieck?).
RHP Frank Herrmann has been re-activated in Akron and outfielder...

Bisons split double-dip
The Buffalo Bisons split a double header with the Richmond Braves on Sunday. RHP Bryan Bullington got the start in game 1 - his first start with the Herd - and allowed 1 run in 4 innings of work. The only damage he allowed came on a leadoff HR in the second inning by Braves 1B/3B Scott Thorman. RHP JD Martin worked the final 3 scoreless innings to pick up his first...

As the aftermath of the C.C. Sabathia trade starts to wind down, the players received in the deal are doing their best to fit into their new home in the Cleveland Indians organization.
The Indians received four new high level prospects for Sabathia, of which at this time three of them are known. Outfielder/first baseman Matt LaPorta was the headliner of the trade and is off to a good start...

On Saturday, Akron placed RHP TJ Burton on the temporary inactive list and activated OF Matt LaPorta from the inactive list.
1Bman Chris Nash has been assigned to the GCL Indians on a rehab assignment. Nash has struggled this season with various injuries ranging from a strained Lat, to a sore shoulder to most recently a triceps problem. Assuming all goes well on the rehab Nash will likely be...

Outfielder Trevor Crowe was activated from the disabled list on Friday after missing two weeks with a strained left intercostal muscle. He is hitting .325 with four homers and 26 RBI for Akron.
INF Jorge Velandia was activated in Buffalo on Friday after having been outrighted by the Cleveland Indians. To make room for Velandia, INF Chris De La Cruz has been placed on the disabled list.
Just...

A bit of sad news to report...but OF/1B Matt LaPorta will not be re-joining Akron until at least Saturday. LaPorta had a death in the family and is away from the team at the moment.
In a bit of good news to report....LHP Tony Sipp has been activated at Akron. INF Chris De La Cruz was sent to Buffalo to make room for Sipp on the roster.
Fausto Carmona will make a rehab start in Akron...

"Minor Happenings" covers the important developments and news in the Indians farm system. While most of the information in this report is from my own research and through interviews I have conducted with organizational personnel, some information in this report is collected and summarized from the various news outlets that cover each team.
For those that may have missed them, check out the...

On Wednesday, USA Baseball announced 23 of the 24 members that will make up the 2008 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team which will compete in the Beijing Olympic Games from August 8-24 (Baseball competition August 13-23). RHP JEFF STEVENS who is currently pitching at AAA Buffalo and INF/OF MATT LaPORTA who is currently playing at AA Akron have both been named to the team.
DRIVE STOPS CAPTAINS 2-1

Yesterday RHP Brendan Donnelly was activated in Kinston. He had been pitching in the GCL prior to the activation and pitched in three games going 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in three appearances (2.2 innings).
Infielder Niuman Romero was named the Carolina League Player of the Week for the week ending 7/13. For the week he hit .444 (12-27), 8 R, 6 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SO, 0 SB, 1.263 SLG....

With every home run that Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore hits, the outcry for his move down into the middle of the order to become more of a run producer becomes louder. Sizemore is one of the best leadoff hitters in the game with the ability to get on-base as well as showcase a productive, powerful bat. So, if or when the Indians ever decide to slide him out of the leadoff spot, a very capable replacement...

Matt McBride went 9 innings behind the plate on MOnday, but was taken out in the 10th inning when the game went into extra innings. With him now going nine innings and showing he can play a whole game, the final hurdle for him will be to show he can handle it everyday. McBride, if he has no setbacks, should be moved up to Lake County or Kinston by the end of the week. In the game he went 2-for-4 with...

The International League today announced that Bisons INF Asdrubal Cabrera has been named the League’s Batter of the Week.
Cabrera hit .394 (13-33) in the Herd’s last eight games, with three doubles, three home runs, six RBI and eight runs scored. He led the International League in runs scored over the week and tied for the IL-lead in hits, extra-base hits (6) and home runs.
Cabrera,...

Just a reminder, OF Matt LaPorta and 3B Wes Hodges will be out of the Akron lineup until Thursday. They are in New York and took part in the Futures Game on Sunday, with LaPorta going 1-for-3 with a BB and K, and Hodges going 1-for-2 with a double. Kinston RHP Hector Rondon also participated in the game and threw a scoreless-hittless inning with no walks or strikeouts.
LHP Chuck Logren returned...

Kinston Indians first baseman Beau Mills is in the midst of his first full season in the Indians organization after being taken in the first round of the 2007 Draft out of Lewis-Clark State (ID).
After a slow start to his season when he hit .222 with a .714 OPS in April, Mills has been one of the best offensive performers in the Indians minor league system since the beginning of May. In May...

On Saturday, Buffalo activated RHP Jeff Weaver. Weaver was signed to a minor league contract by the Indians on July 5. Also, RHP Bryan Bullington was activated. Bullington was claimed by the Indians off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 10. To make roster room for Weaver Bullington, INF Chris De La Cruz and RHP Frank Herrmann were transferred to Double-A Akron. Herrmann was 0-2 with a 1.38ERA...

Available IBI Books

The 2014 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider book featuring the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is now available. Also, previous editions from 2008-2012 are also available at a discounted rate. Just click on the book image for more information. Thanks again for all the support!